OKC Thunder wills its way to Game 4 win vs Pacers, evens NBA Finals
Pat McAfee gave his WWE-esque monologue early in the fourth quarter. And the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse fed into all of it, as it celebrated what looked to be an Indiana win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
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Then OKC crashed the party.
The Thunder escaped with a 111-104 road win to tie the series at 2-2. OKC outscored Indiana 31-17 in the fourth quarter, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his team's last 16 points.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points and three rebounds. Jalen Williams also recorded 27 points and seven rebounds, and Chet Holmgren posted a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Here are four more takeaways from the game:
More: NBA Finals Game 4 box score, stats: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder tie series vs Pacers
Indiana targeted Isaiah Hartenstein early and often in his first Finals start
Isaiah Hartenstein shuffled his feet inside the paint as he saw the play unfold.
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He knew what was coming his way. It was a pick and roll by Indiana, which set its sights on attacking the 7-foot center midway through the first quarter.
Hartenstein could read the play with ease, but stopping it wasn't so simple. Obi Toppin's screen forced Hartenstein to switch onto Andrew Nembhard, who quickly gave the ball back to Toppin for an open floater that found the bottom of the net.
The Thunder opted to start Hartenstein over Cason Wallace on Friday with a plan to give its first unit some more size. But for the Pacers, it gave them a bigger target.
Indiana repeatedly placed Hartenstein in the pick and roll and found success more times than not. He ended the night with two points and six rebounds in 21 minutes, and he posted a team-worst plus-minus of negative-7.
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More: How 2025 NBA Finals became Canadian showcase with OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, others
Jalen Williams stepped up as a shot creator
Muscle memory kicked in once Williams caught a pass on the wing late in the second quarter.
His first instinct was to swing the ball to Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's Most Valuable Player and scoring champion. But Williams stopped himself from doing that once he realized his superstar teammate was being smothered by Nembhard.
That's when a different instinct kicked in — a killer instinct.
Williams dribbled the ball between his legs twice before he used a crossover to blow past Toppin. He then sank a scoop layup at the rim.
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On a night when Nembhard was stuck to Gilgeous-Alexander like Canadian maple syrup, Williams got OKC out of numerous sticky situations.
Williams stepped up as a shot creator, and he bought Gilgeous-Alexander time to find his rhythm when it mattered the most down the stretch.
The Jalen Williams Way How OKC Thunder forward paved a path to stardom, NBA Finals
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 13: Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers defends a shot from Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 13, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Alex Caruso helped OKC will its way to a win
Alex Caruso goes from the most beloved man to the most berated man, depending on which crowd he's playing in front of.
For every ounce of love he receives from the Thunder fans at Paycom Center, he receives an equal amount of hate from Pacers fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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But the only consistent passion is the one he plays with. With OKC on the verge of falling into a 3-1 series hole, Caruso helped his team claw its way out.
The veteran guard finished with 20 points and five steals in 30 minutes off the bench.
CARLSON: NBA Finals being altered by 'self-made guys' Alex Caruso, T.J. McConnell
OKC is back in the driver's seat of this wild ride of an NBA Finals
OKC didn't just steal a Game 4 win. It stole the momentum of the Finals.
The series is now tied at 2-2, and the Thunder will host two of the final three games. OKC is 9-2 at home this postseason.
Game 5 is set for 7:30 p.m. CT Monday in Oklahoma City (ABC).
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More: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has brushed past legacy. NBA Finals will put him in elite company.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @JTheSportsDude. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder wills its way to Game 4 win over Pacers, evens NBA Finals
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